Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
COL	1	0	3	0	1	2	0	0	1	8	11	0
STL	2	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	1	6	10	0

First pitch is set for 6:15 PM CT as Kyle Freeland takes the mound for Colorado against Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis. Freeland enters with a 6.81 ERA and a 3-10 record, numbers that make his last outing look like it belongs to a different pitcher entirely. Liberatore, at 5-8 with a 4.97 ERA, has quietly been one of the more reliable arms in the Cardinals rotation lately.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Rockies(45-70)

LLLWW

8

+1.5-144+144o8.5-102

Cardinals(57-58)

WLWWL

6

-1.5+141-147u8.5+102

Best BetCardinals -159

Pregame

The Cardinals just took 2 of 3 from the AL-leading Yankees while the Rockies were busy getting swept by Tampa Bay, and that form gap is real. Colorado is 24 games back and playing out a lost season, while St. Louis still has a wild-card push to justify. Back the Cardinals here even with Walker's status uncertain.

St. Louis could get a boost before first pitch if Jordan Walker is able to go. The right fielder has been day-to-day with right knee inflammation since jamming it running the bases in New York, and while he's taken swings and done outfield work, his status for this one is still up in the air. Without him, the Cardinals lineup leans more on JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson to carry the load.

Kyle Freeland

(4-10)·6.37 ERA

Aug 2 vs Royals

W

9.0IP

1ER

8K

2BB

115P

08/08 Lineup

Matthew Liberatore

(5-11)·5.04 ERA

Aug 2 @ Blue Jays

ND

6.0IP

0ER

7K

1BB

85P

08/08 Lineup

St. Louis went the sell route at the deadline, moving Dustin May, Lars Nootbaar and Jojo Romero for future pieces while adding reliever Caleb Ferguson — a retool-on-the-fly approach for a team still just a few games out of a wild-card spot. Colorado, meanwhile, is playing out the string in a lost season, though a couple of roster notes have given the clubhouse something to feel good about.

Colorado Rockies

(45-70)

Aug 5Lvs Rays0-4

Aug 5Lvs Rays7-9

Aug 4Lvs Rays9-13

Aug 2Wvs Royals8-1

Aug 2Wvs Royals12-6

St. Louis Cardinals

(57-58)

Aug 5W@ Yankees3-1

Aug 4L@ Yankees0-2

Aug 3W@ Yankees13-7

Aug 2W@ Blue Jays5-1

Aug 1L@ Blue Jays1-5

That complete game from Freeland deserves context. He struck out 8 and needed 115 pitches to get through 9 innings in a win over Kansas City, capping a series in which Colorado outscored the Royals convincingly behind Coors Field's summer heat. It was the first complete game of his career — a genuine highlight on a season otherwise defined by a 6.81 ERA and a losing record, and not something to expect him to replicate against a lineup like this.

Colorado Rockies

(10)

• 15-Day-ILJeff Criswell (RP) — The Rockies recalled Criswell from Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.07/18
• 15-Day-ILBlas Castano (RP) — Castano (pectoral) is expected to begin a throwing program next week, MLB.com reports.07/03
• 15-Day-ILJaden Hill (RP) — Hill (shoulder) resumed playing catch Wednesday, MLB.com reports.07/02
• 60-Day-ILJose Quintana (SP) — Quintana (elbow) is set to throw a bullpen session during the week of Aug. 3, MLB.com reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/23
• 60-Day-ILWelinton Herrera (RP) — Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer announced Monday that Herrera (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season, Jack Janes of MLB.com reports.06/02
• 60-Day-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) had been scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this weekend, MLB.com reports.06/01
• 60-Day-ILRJ Petit (RP) — The Rockies transferred Petit (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILPierson Ohl (RP) — The Rockies placed Ohl (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILKris Bryant (DH) — Bryant said Tuesday that the ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08

St. Louis Cardinals

(3)

• Day-To-DayJordan Walker (RF) — Walker (knee) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.08/05
• 60-Day-ILRamon Urias (3B) — Urias (elbows) has been sent to Triple-A Memphis to resume a rehab assignment, John Denton of Roundtable.io reports.08/04
• 60-Day-ILMax Rajcic (RP) — Rajcic revealed on his Instagram account Thursday that he recently underwent a right elbow UCL reconstruction.07/23

Outfielder Mickey Moniak signing a multi-year extension is a small sign of stability for a Rockies team building for down the road, but stability doesn't show up in the standings — Colorado sits 45-70 and 24 games back in the NL West. St. Louis, sub-.500 for the first time all year, still has more to play for this weekend, and that gap in stakes is the story of this series.